Wheat producers’ demonstration announced

Wheat producers plan to hold a demonstration Wednesday, March 22, at the Civic Center in order to demand a higher paid price for their produce.

Growers expect to call Baja California Governor Marina Avila to lead the effort in negotiating a minimum price of $385 USD per ton in order to have at least a 25% net income.

Contrary to many other items impacted by inflation, international wheat prices have gone down.

Producers urgently met last week where a decision was made about the demonstration.

Wheat Growers Association Chairman Ricardo Muñoz told La Voz newspaper the issue is so serious the Mexican government has decided to ignore producer requests.

The issue could lead to a grower debt of 212 million pesos, or a little over $11 million USD.

Association Treasurer Horacio Gómez told the newspaper the price tag requested is similar to demands made by their colleagues of Sinaloa and Sonora.

Grower Luis Rosales told the newspaper that wheat prices are expected to keep decreasing as other countries like India and Australia are also growing cereal.

National Grower Confederation State Chair Mario Soto said a hearing request was made two weeks ago. The state has not replied so far.

In response, Assemblymember Manuel Guerrero, of the National Regeneration Movement Party, told the newspaper the deployment of grower machinery in the Civic Center does little help to increase wheat prices worldwide.

The lawmaker, whose district covers the northern side of the Mexicali Valley, recalled that growers benefited from the wheat price increase caused by the Russian invasion in Ukraine.

Also, Guerrero said the state provided funds to cover the price gap, but wheat prices have gone so far down the state is unable to close the new gap.